Great review as always! For me as a Fenix 6 Pro user I really hoped they would add LTE to the Fenix 7. Not for making calls, but for the emergency stuff. And ECG would have been a good addition, too. Since I don't miss having a touch interface, I will most likely not upgrade from my 6 Pro but rather wait for the next iterations. And if you're still there, have fun in (on?) Tenerife. I've been there twice so far, great place for everything outdoors.
ECG would have tempted me to upgrade from the 6Pro, otherwise there's nothing new here of interest to me. As a side note, I do see ski run names on my 6Pro.
@Fernando Jimenez no i actually like the flashlight because i can see it coming in handy when my bikelights run out or im out hunting, but its obviously not worth upgrading for!
Thanks for the detailed review! You're always the first person I look for when a new sports-related tech device comes out. I'm still pretty satisfied with my 6 Pro Solar but the touchscreen really is a tempting upgrade. The existing method of scrolling maps is a huge pain. One question, you got about 6 days with the Epix; how many days did you get with the 7X with the same usage? How many days do you think you'd get with the 6 with the same usage?
From what I gather the 6 days on the epix is with the same usage that gives us 14 days (slightly longer for you with solar) on the 6 Pro. I too am wondering about upgrading for that touchscreen for maps!
I went with the 7X Solar Sapphire Titanium in blue/white. I considered the Epix, but was always pretty impressed by the display on my friend's 6X - it was clear in daylight, his battery lasts ages, and he's still delighted with it. Looking forward to it arriving.
Fantastic detailed overview! Just a note, the Fenix 6Pro does show ski run names on the maps. Overall with regard to the 7 I see no reasons for me to upgrade from the 6Pro. If the 7 had heart ECG it might tempt me. Thanks again for your great work!
Thank Ray, i really love your reviews. As somebody else said, you're the the first and my go-to person when it comes to sport-related tech. Now, to anyone who is reading this review. My wife gifted me the Fenix 7x Pro Solar with the titanium strap and for me it's a huge update on my 6 year old Fenix 3 Sapphire HR. But i have some fears that the 1200 EUR price tag is a bit too much. I am still a sport person with regular ski, bike, surf and hike activities. But my knees are feeling the workload of my previous sports and i can't keep it up. For example, my yearly number of km dropped from 3500km in 2016 to around 800 in 2020 and 500 in 2021.. Should i keep the watch? Or change it fo a EPIX or an Apple watch? thanks
Nice launch video! Very happy I got my 6X Pro during Black Friday sales. The only feature I would really like is the touch screen when using maps. I'm a model behind, more value kind of Guy. đ
I still have my fenix 5x+ and I love it, but the increase in battery life for my Ironmans and for backpacking just might be worth it, plus I think garmin did a great job as always.
Your reviews are EPIX! Thank you for the super comprehensive dives into these products. That being said, would you go with Fenix 7x or Epix? I love the AMOLED display so I lean towards the latter.
Great review and wrap up. Purchased 5x sapphire at launch, itâs still going strong and love it. While Garmin pay, solar, improved sensors all look great. Not sure I am convinced I need to upgrade, at some point the new features will push me to upgrade or if the 5x stops working (haha yeah that ainât happening anytime soon)
Thanks for the review. Looking forward to your direct comparison between the Fenix 7 and the Epix. Also would like to know your thoughts on the displays of the Fenix 7 Sapphire versus the Fenix 6 Sapphire. The 6 Sapphire is known to be fairly âreflectiveâ and had some issues with dulled blacks showing as grey/blues with not so great contrast. Would you be able to share if you see an improvement in that comparison?
Ray is the gold standard for tech sports reviews. I don't buy until I listen to the Rainmaker.....and then when I buy and don't have a clue about how to set up a feature, I listen again!
Ah, Garmin - the Victorinox of smartwatches! Love this new model, the price is hefty, but totally worth it, in my opinion. Thank you for the detailed video!
Thank you for the review. It's great that Garmin keep iterating on a great device so if I was serious about endurance sport but did not yet have a smartwatch that's a good choice. But for someone to upgrade from Garmin 5, I still see very little reason to do so.
Thanks for the review Ray! Beautiful location to exercise the Fenix and Epix. How does the contrast on the Sapphire model compare to the Gorilla Glass? Is it similar to the delta with the Fenix 6?
That's a pretty good question as Sapphire usually reflects like hell. From this reason I am very happy with 6X Pro Solar. But I already started investigation on EPIX. They have 2 Sapphire model (Black and White) + 1 DX Glass model, which I believe will have less reflection than Sapphire.
Thanks for review! I believe that now has new users wide model range to choose from. However, old users must getting a little headache from this new lineup strategy. 'Cause what is actually quite shocking is that my older Fenix 6X - Pro Solar Edition is on Garmin web still more expensive (and have 32GB memory), than cheaper New Fenix 7X Solar (with 16GB memory). But maybe because it has now only 16GB of memory. You mentioned this correctly in this video, that only new 7 "Sapphire" models has 32 GB. But in the past the measure for "maps" and "memory" was the X model, Eg. 5X, 6X. And now all this legacy changed. To by honest, as a 6x Pro Solar owner, I am not happy about this new strategy to see that new 7x Solar is cheaper, and has less memory than my older 6x Solar.
Great review (like always). Regarding Epix/Fenix displays⊠while amoled (or whatever epix has) is certainly more fancy, does the MIP display on Fenix looks better in direct sunlight? I mean shouldnât it be more visible? Thnx.
Thanks again for a great review - i have a question about gps and training programs. Is there an improvement in accuracy when using multiband gps with training programs. For example, programming a run with intervals based on distance and speed, the 6 take a good 10 seconds to calculate your speed and interval distance, is this improved on the 7 series?
Been waiting on this for a few months. Placed my order this morning for solar saphire. Can't wait to get it ! Should be a solid upgrade from a forerunner 645
@Kevin Bujold I have my instinct 2 solar mist grey for the past 2 days and I absolutely love it! the amount of features and all of the data it shows is absolutely incredible! Definitely keeping it :) Hope you get your exchanged watch soon!
@Koko I really like mine ! Since I got it about 2 days after this comment. It's been on my wrist other than a 2hr stint to charge it. For me having on board music means no phone on shorter runs/interval work. It can control my smart trainer on the bike. The touch screen is super smooth but also being able to switch to buttons is awsome, especially when running at -25C with 2 pairs of gloves on. The only fault is mine happens to have a button that sticks. Ive reached out to garmin and as soon as they have stock I will echange it so eih. Thats just a lil bad luck on my end but its still functional. I think Marks review is spot on. Its not a "must" especially if you have a good watch already.. but it is a great piece of kit and I have 0 regrets because the money didnt affect other needs in my life.
Great review! Regarding the size of the display, the Epix is 1.3" and the Fenix 7X Solar is 1.4". However, is the visible area (usable display area for the apps) on the Epix bigger than the Fenix 7X Solar since the solar ring takes out one part of the usable display area?
Great video, in a special place!! Thank you!! I just love the Fenix 7X, now I need to upgrade my Fenix 6X đ-- the only things missing are continuous blood glucose sensor as also continuous ketones sensor, that would be PERFECT for sports and health management!!
Thanks for the awesome review, I have enough data from your video to make my decision to buy it. Just one last question, does the back glass (where the sensors are) is also sapphire or just mineral glass? Does it scratch easily? Thanks man! Keep it up.
Hey, great review thanks. I miss information about the recycling options Garmin gives to us. With our increasing electronic waste problem, manufacturers should think about the time after the life span too.
Great review. Was iffy on the Epix but your comments make me think that might be the better choice. Still disappointing no EKG though, something competitors have had for a few years now.
I've been praying for a flashing built into a watch like why has no one done this before? It's so handy! I literally thought to myself it would be EPIC if the new fenix 7 had it and bam! It does!
I'm very excited for the solar feature. I felt like the numbers for the 6 series were a little gimmicky. Does anyone have experience outside in Florida? Even today, my wrist is in full bright sunlight sitting next to a window. If I'm outside for activities for 4-5 hours on average, can I expect that solar boost to get me even longer time? Are there conditions in which the solar power is matching or exceeding the draw of the watch?
I live in Florida and had the instinct solar. Personally I really didn't see a difference in battery life. I was running 5 days a week and cycling 3. It gave a little boost to battery life. I feel like solar is only good for people who don't use gps. I sent it back and got the Fenix 6s sapphire
I dare say the question for many Fenix 6 owners (non-golfers) is whether it is worth the upgrade. The specs on Garmin website compare are pretty similar 6 vs 7. Maybe one day you can do a technical comparison of the Elevate sensor between 6&7?
Glad touch is back. Trying to pan on the f6 during a run can be painful. Also loved the touch on my old vivoactive 2 and even better on the forerunner 630
Thank you for the video. Did you find that there was any difference in the GPS coverage when comparing the 7 with the 7 Sapphire model? The Sapphire model has the multi frequency tracking which the "regular" 7 lacks.
@Hugo Thanks. Do you know if that is better than the inReach? And that accuracy is only if it can get a signal right? I'm trying to figure out which is better at getting a signal in remote areas if you're lost. I'd rather a signal with worse accuracy than no signal at all.
@New Millennial So I just spoke with Garmin that said that the multi-band feature of the sapphire models have an increased accuracy (down from 15-10m accuracy to 10-5m). Thought I'd share it with you.
As always with Fenix the price kills it for me. I mean F6 has regularly been sold at 300⏠for some half a year now. Ok, F7 has maps&music (like F6 pro) but are they worth paying double, no. The same case when F6 came out and F5 was sold for 50% the price.
hi, GREAT review -, quick question. I can read that the number of pixels increase from 7s to 7 to 7x. Does that mean that screens offer different data fields, different combinations of fields "only available on larger screens" - or are the screens excactly equal, only rendered slightly larger on the larger watch models?
Hi, is there still a difference in displays quality between regular Fenix 7 and Fenix 7 sapphire as it was last year with f6? If you remember sapphire version screen was clearer more black where regular 6 was more grey than blackđ
Thanks for the review! I just ordered the Solar Sapphire Option. I am so glad they kept the transreflective Display. Yes, the colors are not as vibrant but it is a watch! You do not watch movies on a watch! I wouldn't want the glare of Amoled on a watch all the time! I am also glad that they kept the buttons! Solar Sapphire is a perfect combination! I am always getting good prices on the old versions because the sapphire glas is in mint condition even after heavy usage for two years! The flashlight is really a neat option when you are in hotel rooms and just need to go to the bathroom and you do not know your way around the room! Perfect for that! I used that feature a lot on the Fenix 6 as the backlight in flashlight mode was really bright enough. Now, you do not need to take out your smartphone anymore when you need to use a flashlight for a moment. THis always puts the smartphone in danger! I do hope that they fixed the battery issues by now. Garmin exchanged the Fenix 6 two times for me because the battery capacity went done to one day for no reasons. Customer service is impeccable, though! That is why I am staying with Garmin! I would have hoped for the integration of some sort of cell phone function. maybe not for talking but for calling an emergency service. Now, you still have to tack the phone along, if you want to be safe. Maybe next iteration...
A lot of "nice to have" features, but the biggest issue with fenix watches has not been solved. Either cheaper bands or proper support of third party bands by using the common watch standard. As a daily smart watch i prefer a metal or leather band and the garmin bands make currenty any fenix additionaly more expensive. The third party band situation is also not great, most are extremly low quality china versions of the garmin bands.
I'm dead excited for your comment that the battery of the epix2 is good enough! I really wanted a better screen but was worried it would suck. I have a 6X at the moment for mapping sizes. You can fit more on screen. Does the amoled higher res fit more? Can't wait to see your epix2 review!!!!!
@Tom Hunt a fair point, and individual use cases are always the key bit! Whenever Iâve used maps (multi day events etc) I have a breadcrumb trail so to speak so rarely need the pan. If you end up getting this new one I hope you enjoy it đđ»
Yeah itâs tricky. The Map panning is the reason. Definitely a problem of new shiny. But last time I upgraded quickly I made most of the money back selling the old one. '
I too have a 6X and these donât tempt me to change at all. I donât miss a touch screen (though admittedly, the handful of times Iâve needed to scroll on map that would be helpful) but Iâve had no issues with my 6X since getting it a couple years back. Always exciting to see new models, though!
for me one huge reason to use a garmin watch is the battery life. i dont want to charge daily or even every few days. i like not having to think about it at all. while the amoled looks better, the fenix screen is really not that bad. hopefully they release a good FR version later.
A god among men. Thank you for all your work. I read (not all details) the Fenix 7 review on the home page, no wonder you have the media loaners for quite a while. :) Good job, Ray.
Great review, the Epix version is attractive. Am I the only user that has had issue with the charging port? I see that hasn't changed with the newer series.
The charging port of my 5 drove me batty with how loosey-goosey it was, and finally it just refused to charge, that was largely why I got rid of it for a 6. Now I have a charging stand so gravity holds the watch onto the charger, whether or not that made a difference I don't know, but I've had zero issues charging the 6.
She'll never win the beauty contest, but I think the Instinct Solar is probably the best value for money on the planet. I'm curious to see what the Instinct 2 will have to say, at launch. Considering the Fenix 7 just made the Enduro obsolete (battery wise), I am especially curious to see how strong the Instinct 2 battery is. -Able to make any launch schedule predictions here, Ray?
@Paul Gal Instinct solar being the king Instinct. Battery wise. Fair on GPS, and literal unlimited battery in low power mode, provided you get outside once a month. Just some info!
Really is the instict that good ? I have the vivioactive 4 I mostly do cycling, mountain climbing so I need good maps and I go to the gym . Would you recommend for me ?
Great review as usual! Quick question. Do you have any information about the sensor performance of the Fenix 7 series on tattoos?. It'd be great!. Thank you!
Your videos always provide a ton of great info; thank you for that. One tip though: try to speak slower. You're sometimes hard to follow because of the pace in your speaking. Anyway, keep up the great work, very much appreciated!
Great timing (literally and figuratively), my Forerunner 935 is dying and I need a new watch! Looking forward to the Epix review! Thanks for all the great reviews.
And to think 6 months ago I was worried about buying a Fenix 6 pro in case it got blown out of the water by the 7 straight away. No buyers remorse over here PHEW! They look cool, but nothing ground-breaking, apart from your wallet!
Yep, same here, will probably wait for the next generation, got some issues with my Fenix 6X pro (wifi broke down after one of the updates and I got to get the watch back to garmin)
Great review A Golf question, can you set the watch to metric, then when you play a round of golf change the measurement to imperial, eg yards. In Canada we use metric distances (kilometers), but on golf course distances are in yards. Rather then switch the general watch setting back and forth, can you just change it in the golf app.
I have the Fenix 6S. I use kilometers for distance and yards for golf. This wasnât always the case, but an update over 2 years ago allowed me to use yards for golf while maintaining metric for all other use.
Interesting take on the display...I have the Vivoactive 4s and have tried Amoles watches like the Huawei GT3...and O just miss that true always-on Diplay that I can actually use to display the full watchface at all times...and effortlessly view un sunlight...
Rather than having a graph for my (usually wrong) predicted race times, Iâd like to have a historical graph of my actual PRs all time and last 12 months! Oh well, it canât take more than few more years of development timeâŠ
Hi Ray, Do the Fenix 7 and Epix 2 have significantly more processing power and RAM than the Fenix 6? CanÂŽt find those specs in any official documentation...
Is the barometric altimeter a different device to that in the 945? I've had to return two 945's with a faulty barometer and don't want the same issues if I get a Fenix 7. Great review as always.
Due to the larger solar ring on the 7X compared to the 6X, the bezel seems larger. Is the screen of the 7X smaller than the screen of the 6X? Or is the 7X casing larger than the 6X casing? Or is it just an illusion?
I think it is an illusion. The metal bezel is actually smaller. The under-glass solar bezel area is larger - which is why the screws are moved. The display size is the same.
Ray already answered that question in the 'Complete User Interface Deep-Dive' - it's 'all or nothing' function, so you can either enable or disable touch screen for all the pages/screens for a given activity.
Hi. Thank you for your excellent reviews. My new Fenix 7 Saphire just stopped monitoring sleep, without me changing anything. I tried all recommandations I could find though I was sure it won't help me. And of course it did not. Just did a factory reset and waiting to take a nap :) Do you have any other suggestions? Thx
I am so frustrated with Garmin, I love my Fenix 6 Pro solar and Iâm willing to spend to get the 7 but they still havenât done the most obvious simple thing yet. Iâve created several custom activities (kettlebell carry, box jumps, sled push, sandbag lunges, etc). I need to create daily custom WODâs from my activities library but cannot. For example; 1000 meter run 200 meter kettlebell carry 1000 meter run 40 box jumps 1000 meter run 100 burpee broad jumps 1000 meter run 1000 meter SkiErg I should be able to drag any activity into a custom workout (WOD)
Dude, I've got high expectations from your review. I mean no one is addressing the main problem, the elephant in the room so to speak> the price. I mean, when back in time the fenix 6 series appeared everyone was rolling eyes and thought 700 usd is too much. But now even that price was left behind and I'm afraid the fenix 7 is not so much better than the previous models.
Yeah, itâs funny, literally youâre the first person to mention the price in a comment. I get it, I think itâs crazy, but thatâs the price people are apparently eager to buy at, based on day 1 sales.
Great review and really useful - just deciding of whether to upgrade from 6X Sapphire Pro to the new watch - you also mentioned at the end the other watch you have been using but I couldn't quite tell what make model you said - can you let me know and have you done a review on the other watch you seem to have worn as well as the Fenix 7. thanks in advance
I still can't decide between the 7X and the Epix! I do multi-day walks with camping etc so the less hassle of the 7X battery would be great... but that Epix screen! Random question, can you put the up ahead info as a data screen, ie next to like pace / time etc - even if it's just the next one upcoming? That would be really handy!
I struggled with the choice too but opted for the 7x. One concern I had about the Epix was it being activated to full brightness when I was doing things with no intention of looking at the watch. I would find that annoying, especially in lower light conditions. The workarounds would have meant changing the watch settings when going from darker to lighter, and vice versa, environments all the time and that is such a waste of time.
Great review as always. Just one question - does the Saphire have whole world maps preloaded? Your graphic of map sizes seem to total more than 32GB? Thanks!
It's supposed to have the primary region pairs you're located in. So for example, it'll auto-load North America and Europe. But not North America, Europe, and South America.
Any idea how much space is left on a base (16GB) unit with Europe maps (11.6GB) once OS ,Ski (23MB?), Golf maps (200-500MB ?) then the MB/MiB conversion is taken into account? Seems unlikely you'll get much music on it. Would be nice to have Europe broken up into smaller chunks.
Well first of you are the man ! Thank you very much for this video! A quick question if you have time to read and answer :) I was thinking about the epix Gen 2 ! But is the 6 days always on display with workout for real ? if so that's a deal for me ! Keep going :)
Hi DC, some of these features are from the latest software update (and thus also available on the Fenix 6), correct? If so, it would be nice to note that in the future.
It's not a massive upgrade since you'd lack the multiband GPS and larger storage, but you would get things like Stamina. I'd consider it a modest upgrade.
I have been waiting for full LTE so that I can if needs be make and take calls whilst out. It seems that Garmin don't see this as a deal breaker but ... There are many quirks and disappointments that I have suffered with my Fenix 6 Sapphire and also with Garmin Connect. I'm not prepared to throw large wads of money at a watch that doesn't fill that need of mine. Until then I need to carry a separate phone until I find the optimum smart watch and fitness tracker out there. I don't want to go Apple but let's face it, their offer is very tempting.
Wohooo, thanks for the vid. Do you have any info about porting the features back to other watches than the F6? (I have an Enduro). I'm thinking about the widgets, Stamina, or (what mostly interests me) the waypoints and the phone-datafield setup (and sync across devices like in the case of Edges I presume) ?
Great review as always! For me as a Fenix 6 Pro user I really hoped they would add LTE to the Fenix 7. Not for making calls, but for the emergency stuff. And ECG would have been a good addition, too. Since I don't miss having a touch interface, I will most likely not upgrade from my 6 Pro but rather wait for the next iterations. And if you're still there, have fun in (on?) Tenerife. I've been there twice so far, great place for everything outdoors.
@OLe obviously NOT for old users (having 6x already), but YES for new Users (buying 7x). Or me having the 6x Pro Solar, but investigating Epix Gen 2
@TAMBI KHOUT I have 6x pro solar and thinking about EPIX? :-)
@TAMBI KHOUT probably just the better heart rate sensor
ECG would have tempted me to upgrade from the 6Pro, otherwise there's nothing new here of interest to me.
As a side note, I do see ski run names on my 6Pro.
@Fernando Jimenez no i actually like the flashlight because i can see it coming in handy when my bikelights run out or im out hunting, but its obviously not worth upgrading for!
Thanks for the detailed review! You're always the first person I look for when a new sports-related tech device comes out. I'm still pretty satisfied with my 6 Pro Solar but the touchscreen really is a tempting upgrade. The existing method of scrolling maps is a huge pain.
One question, you got about 6 days with the Epix; how many days did you get with the 7X with the same usage? How many days do you think you'd get with the 6 with the same usage?
From what I gather the 6 days on the epix is with the same usage that gives us 14 days (slightly longer for you with solar) on the 6 Pro.
I too am wondering about upgrading for that touchscreen for maps!
I went with the 7X Solar Sapphire Titanium in blue/white. I considered the Epix, but was always pretty impressed by the display on my friend's 6X - it was clear in daylight, his battery lasts ages, and he's still delighted with it. Looking forward to it arriving.
Amoled easy to burn in
Fantastic detailed overview! Just a note, the Fenix 6Pro does show ski run names on the maps. Overall with regard to the 7 I see no reasons for me to upgrade from the 6Pro. If the 7 had heart ECG it might tempt me. Thanks again for your great work!
Coros has stamina function and I loved it! I hope they will make it available for fenix 6 too.. not a massive change or complication
Thank Ray, i really love your reviews. As somebody else said, you're the the first and my go-to person when it comes to sport-related tech.
Now, to anyone who is reading this review. My wife gifted me the Fenix 7x Pro Solar with the titanium strap and for me it's a huge update on my 6 year old Fenix 3 Sapphire HR. But i have some fears that the 1200 EUR price tag is a bit too much.
I am still a sport person with regular ski, bike, surf and hike activities. But my knees are feeling the workload of my previous sports and i can't keep it up. For example, my yearly number of km dropped from 3500km in 2016 to around 800 in 2020 and 500 in 2021.. Should i keep the watch? Or change it fo a EPIX or an Apple watch?
thanks
Nice launch video! Very happy I got my 6X Pro during Black Friday sales. The only feature I would really like is the touch screen when using maps. I'm a model behind, more value kind of Guy. đ
I still have my fenix 5x+ and I love it, but the increase in battery life for my Ironmans and for backpacking just might be worth it, plus I think garmin did a great job as always.
Your reviews are EPIX! Thank you for the super comprehensive dives into these products. That being said, would you go with Fenix 7x or Epix? I love the AMOLED display so I lean towards the latter.
Epix all the way, every day.
Epix all the way. Battery is very good for such a nice display.
Great review and wrap up. Purchased 5x sapphire at launch, itâs still going strong and love it. While Garmin pay, solar, improved sensors all look great. Not sure I am convinced I need to upgrade, at some point the new features will push me to upgrade or if the 5x stops working (haha yeah that ainât happening anytime soon)
@Peter Sdrolias museum piece! For me just evidence they make solid pieces
Ha! I still have the Fenix3.
Thanks for the review. Looking forward to your direct comparison between the Fenix 7 and the Epix. Also would like to know your thoughts on the displays of the Fenix 7 Sapphire versus the Fenix 6 Sapphire. The 6 Sapphire is known to be fairly âreflectiveâ and had some issues with dulled blacks showing as grey/blues with not so great contrast. Would you be able to share if you see an improvement in that comparison?
@Mark Lewis Thanks for replying! That's good to hear.
I have a 6X with the dull screen and my new 7x is inky black in comparison. Oddly, my wife's 6s was always black.
Ray is the gold standard for tech sports reviews. I don't buy until I listen to the Rainmaker.....and then when I buy and don't have a clue about how to set up a feature, I listen again!
Ah, Garmin - the Victorinox of smartwatches! Love this new model, the price is hefty, but totally worth it, in my opinion. Thank you for the detailed video!
Thank you for the review. It's great that Garmin keep iterating on a great device so if I was serious about endurance sport but did not yet have a smartwatch that's a good choice. But for someone to upgrade from Garmin 5, I still see very little reason to do so.
Thanks for the review Ray! Beautiful location to exercise the Fenix and Epix. How does the contrast on the Sapphire model compare to the Gorilla Glass? Is it similar to the delta with the Fenix 6?
That's a pretty good question as Sapphire usually reflects like hell. From this reason I am very happy with 6X Pro Solar. But I already started investigation on EPIX. They have 2 Sapphire model (Black and White) + 1 DX Glass model, which I believe will have less reflection than Sapphire.
I haven't tried a non-Sapphire unit unfortunately.
Thanks for review! I believe that now has new users wide model range to choose from.
However, old users must getting a little headache from this new lineup strategy. 'Cause what is actually quite shocking is that my older Fenix 6X - Pro Solar Edition is on Garmin web still more expensive (and have 32GB memory), than cheaper New Fenix 7X Solar (with 16GB memory).
But maybe because it has now only 16GB of memory.
You mentioned this correctly in this video, that only new 7 "Sapphire" models has 32 GB.
But in the past the measure for "maps" and "memory" was the X model, Eg. 5X, 6X. And now all this legacy changed. To by honest, as a 6x Pro Solar owner, I am not happy about this new strategy to see that new 7x Solar is cheaper, and has less memory than my older 6x Solar.
Great review (like always).
Regarding Epix/Fenix displays⊠while amoled (or whatever epix has) is certainly more fancy, does the MIP display on Fenix looks better in direct sunlight? I mean shouldnât it be more visible? Thnx.
Thanks Ray. I love your reviews as much as the fĂ©nix series đ
Thanks again for a great review - i have a question about gps and training programs. Is there an improvement in accuracy when using multiband gps with training programs. For example, programming a run with intervals based on distance and speed, the 6 take a good 10 seconds to calculate your speed and interval distance, is this improved on the 7 series?
Just ordered the Epix 2 as itâs the same as Fenix 7 with brilliant display. And a very good battery life.đ
I went for fenix 7 saphire solar. Epix may have a better screen, but battery life is a bit disappointing in comparison.
@Dave I live in dark Finland so would make no difference. The torch would be nice though.
@Dave And no torch
No solar though
Been waiting on this for a few months. Placed my order this morning for solar saphire. Can't wait to get it ! Should be a solid upgrade from a forerunner 645
@Kevin Bujold I have my instinct 2 solar mist grey for the past 2 days and I absolutely love it! the amount of features and all of the data it shows is absolutely incredible! Definitely keeping it :) Hope you get your exchanged watch soon!
@Koko I really like mine ! Since I got it about 2 days after this comment. It's been on my wrist other than a 2hr stint to charge it. For me having on board music means no phone on shorter runs/interval work. It can control my smart trainer on the bike. The touch screen is super smooth but also being able to switch to buttons is awsome, especially when running at -25C with 2 pairs of gloves on. The only fault is mine happens to have a button that sticks. Ive reached out to garmin and as soon as they have stock I will echange it so eih. Thats just a lil bad luck on my end but its still functional. I think Marks review is spot on. Its not a "must" especially if you have a good watch already.. but it is a great piece of kit and I have 0 regrets because the money didnt affect other needs in my life.
Let me know how you like it! I ordered instinct 2 solar (coming today) and thinking of getting the fenix 7 solar sapphire đ€
Great review! Regarding the size of the display, the Epix is 1.3" and the Fenix 7X Solar is 1.4". However, is the visible area (usable display area for the apps) on the Epix bigger than the Fenix 7X Solar since the solar ring takes out one part of the usable display area?
Great video, in a special place!! Thank you!! I just love the Fenix 7X, now I need to upgrade my Fenix 6X đ-- the only things missing are continuous blood glucose sensor as also continuous ketones sensor, that would be PERFECT for sports and health management!!
Thanks for the awesome review, I have enough data from your video to make my decision to buy it. Just one last question, does the back glass (where the sensors are) is also sapphire or just mineral glass? Does it scratch easily? Thanks man! Keep it up.
My understanding is just mineral glass.
Hey, great review thanks. I miss information about the recycling options Garmin gives to us. With our increasing electronic waste problem, manufacturers should think about the time after the life span too.
Great review. Was iffy on the Epix but your comments make me think that might be the better choice. Still disappointing no EKG though, something competitors have had for a few years now.
Excellent and thorough - as always. Thanks.
I've been praying for a flashing built into a watch like why has no one done this before? It's so handy! I literally thought to myself it would be EPIC if the new fenix 7 had it and bam! It does!
I'm very excited for the solar feature. I felt like the numbers for the 6 series were a little gimmicky. Does anyone have experience outside in Florida? Even today, my wrist is in full bright sunlight sitting next to a window. If I'm outside for activities for 4-5 hours on average, can I expect that solar boost to get me even longer time? Are there conditions in which the solar power is matching or exceeding the draw of the watch?
I live in Florida and had the instinct solar. Personally I really didn't see a difference in battery life. I was running 5 days a week and cycling 3. It gave a little boost to battery life. I feel like solar is only good for people who don't use gps. I sent it back and got the Fenix 6s sapphire
I dare say the question for many Fenix 6 owners (non-golfers) is whether it is worth the upgrade. The specs on Garmin website compare are pretty similar 6 vs 7. Maybe one day you can do a technical comparison of the Elevate sensor between 6&7?
honestly doesn't seem like a big upgrade. but i might be wrong, ill check it out when we get them in stock.
Glad touch is back. Trying to pan on the f6 during a run can be painful. Also loved the touch on my old vivoactive 2 and even better on the forerunner 630
Thank you for the video. Did you find that there was any difference in the GPS coverage when comparing the 7 with the 7 Sapphire model? The Sapphire model has the multi frequency tracking which the "regular" 7 lacks.
@New Millennial Inreach is all about texting for help.
@Hugo Thanks. Do you know if that is better than the inReach? And that accuracy is only if it can get a signal right? I'm trying to figure out which is better at getting a signal in remote areas if you're lost. I'd rather a signal with worse accuracy than no signal at all.
@New Millennial So I just spoke with Garmin that said that the multi-band feature of the sapphire models have an increased accuracy (down from 15-10m accuracy to 10-5m). Thought I'd share it with you.
What's the difference between the GPS on this watch and the inreach? If they both use satellite, why bother carrying an inreach?
As always with Fenix the price kills it for me. I mean F6 has regularly been sold at 300⏠for some half a year now. Ok, F7 has maps&music (like F6 pro) but are they worth paying double, no. The same case when F6 came out and F5 was sold for 50% the price.
hi, GREAT review -, quick question. I can read that the number of pixels increase from 7s to 7 to 7x. Does that mean that screens offer different data fields, different combinations of fields "only available on larger screens" - or are the screens excactly equal, only rendered slightly larger on the larger watch models?
Good question.
Thank you for the review! Would you choose 945 lte over fenix 7s for 24/7 usage? Would it be lighter and more comfortable?
Hi, is there still a difference in displays quality between regular Fenix 7 and Fenix 7 sapphire as it was last year with f6? If you remember sapphire version screen was clearer more black where regular 6 was more grey than blackđ
Thanks for the review! I just ordered the Solar Sapphire Option. I am so glad they kept the transreflective Display. Yes, the colors are not as vibrant but it is a watch! You do not watch movies on a watch! I wouldn't want the glare of Amoled on a watch all the time!
I am also glad that they kept the buttons! Solar Sapphire is a perfect combination! I am always getting good prices on the old versions because the sapphire glas is in mint condition even after heavy usage for two years!
The flashlight is really a neat option when you are in hotel rooms and just need to go to the bathroom and you do not know your way around the room! Perfect for that! I used that feature a lot on the Fenix 6 as the backlight in flashlight mode was really bright enough. Now, you do not need to take out your smartphone anymore when you need to use a flashlight for a moment. THis always puts the smartphone in danger!
I do hope that they fixed the battery issues by now. Garmin exchanged the Fenix 6 two times for me because the battery capacity went done to one day for no reasons. Customer service is impeccable, though! That is why I am staying with Garmin!
I would have hoped for the integration of some sort of cell phone function. maybe not for talking but for calling an emergency service. Now, you still have to tack the phone along, if you want to be safe. Maybe next iteration...
Thank you for the review. Without ECG and LTE, it's not worth it. I will keep my Fenix 6
Thanks for the great review! F7 vs Vertix is still an easy choice for an ultra runner?
Really appreciate your work on this channel.
A lot of "nice to have" features, but the biggest issue with fenix watches has not been solved. Either cheaper bands or proper support of third party bands by using the common watch standard. As a daily smart watch i prefer a metal or leather band and the garmin bands make currenty any fenix additionaly more expensive. The third party band situation is also not great, most are extremly low quality china versions of the garmin bands.
I'm dead excited for your comment that the battery of the epix2 is good enough! I really wanted a better screen but was worried it would suck. I have a 6X at the moment for mapping sizes. You can fit more on screen. Does the amoled higher res fit more? Can't wait to see your epix2 review!!!!!
@Tom Hunt a fair point, and individual use cases are always the key bit! Whenever Iâve used maps (multi day events etc) I have a breadcrumb trail so to speak so rarely need the pan.
If you end up getting this new one I hope you enjoy it đđ»
Yeah itâs tricky. The Map panning is the reason. Definitely a problem of new shiny. But last time I upgraded quickly I made most of the money back selling the old one. '
I too have a 6X and these donât tempt me to change at all. I donât miss a touch screen (though admittedly, the handful of times Iâve needed to scroll on map that would be helpful) but Iâve had no issues with my 6X since getting it a couple years back. Always exciting to see new models, though!
Finally! Thanks for covering this. One question though, how much screen real estate are we letting go with the solar edition?
@DC Rainmaker So the real screen is smaller than in the Fenix 6 (or the 7 non-solar versions)?
I'm waiting on precise number, but looks like 2.5-3mm compared to the 1mm prior.
for me one huge reason to use a garmin watch is the battery life. i dont want to charge daily or even every few days. i like not having to think about it at all. while the amoled looks better, the fenix screen is really not that bad. hopefully they release a good FR version later.
The problem with my 6 is that I think about it so little I almost forget completely!
A god among men. Thank you for all your work. I read (not all details) the Fenix 7 review on the home page, no wonder you have the media loaners for quite a while. :) Good job, Ray.
Great review always, I wish they took note from the design of Suunto & there own Venu 2 plus of the thickness and screen size.
Great review, the Epix version is attractive. Am I the only user that has had issue with the charging port? I see that hasn't changed with the newer series.
The charging port of my 5 drove me batty with how loosey-goosey it was, and finally it just refused to charge, that was largely why I got rid of it for a 6. Now I have a charging stand so gravity holds the watch onto the charger, whether or not that made a difference I don't know, but I've had zero issues charging the 6.
Fantastic review as always.
A microphone / speaker as in the recent Venu 2 Plus could've been a nice upgrade as well
She'll never win the beauty contest, but I think the Instinct Solar is probably the best value for money on the planet. I'm curious to see what the Instinct 2 will have to say, at launch. Considering the Fenix 7 just made the Enduro obsolete (battery wise), I am especially curious to see how strong the Instinct 2 battery is. -Able to make any launch schedule predictions here, Ray?
@Paul Gal Instinct solar being the king Instinct. Battery wise. Fair on GPS, and literal unlimited battery in low power mode, provided you get outside once a month. Just some info!
@Paul Gal Instinct series does not currently have maps, so that may be a no-go for you!
Really is the instict that good ? I have the vivioactive 4 I mostly do cycling, mountain climbing so I need good maps and I go to the gym . Would you recommend for me ?
Great review as usual! Quick question. Do you have any information about the sensor performance of the Fenix 7 series on tattoos?. It'd be great!. Thank you!
Your videos always provide a ton of great info; thank you for that. One tip though: try to speak slower. You're sometimes hard to follow because of the pace in your speaking. Anyway, keep up the great work, very much appreciated!
Great timing (literally and figuratively), my Forerunner 935 is dying and I need a new watch! Looking forward to the Epix review! Thanks for all the great reviews.
Ray, Excellent review, as always!
And to think 6 months ago I was worried about buying a Fenix 6 pro in case it got blown out of the water by the 7 straight away. No buyers remorse over here PHEW! They look cool, but nothing ground-breaking, apart from your wallet!
Yep, same here, will probably wait for the next generation, got some issues with my Fenix 6X pro (wifi broke down after one of the updates and I got to get the watch back to garmin)
same
I've had the 6xpro since it came out and I'm happy. Maybe there next Gen, Fenix 8 or epix
A lot of great info, as always. When will you publish an Epix review? Waiting for that one!
Great review A Golf question, can you set the watch to metric, then when you play a round of golf change the measurement to imperial, eg yards. In Canada we use metric distances (kilometers), but on golf course distances are in yards. Rather then switch the general watch setting back and forth, can you just change it in the golf app.
I have the Fenix 6S. I use kilometers for distance and yards for golf. This wasnât always the case, but an update over 2 years ago allowed me to use yards for golf while maintaining metric for all other use.
Thanks for the great insight. Looking for a new GPS for my summer backpacking trips. Might switch from handheld to a watch for the other features!
Thanks for the review. Will the stamina feature trickle down to the 945 and 745?
Interesting take on the display...I have the Vivoactive 4s and have tried Amoles watches like the Huawei GT3...and O just miss that true always-on Diplay that I can actually use to display the full watchface at all times...and effortlessly view un sunlight...
I use the screen light on my 6X, to see at night.... but I like the stamina info and the sapphire solar glass.
Great review. Been waiting for this for so long.
Rather than having a graph for my (usually wrong) predicted race times, Iâd like to have a historical graph of my actual PRs all time and last 12 months!
Oh well, it canât take more than few more years of development timeâŠ
Hi Ray,
Do the Fenix 7 and Epix 2 have significantly more processing power and RAM than the Fenix 6? CanÂŽt find those specs in any official documentation...
Is the barometric altimeter a different device to that in the 945? I've had to return two 945's with a faulty barometer and don't want the same issues if I get a Fenix 7. Great review as always.
Great video, thank you! Do you know how the heart rate monitor accuracy vs the fenix 6?
Due to the larger solar ring on the 7X compared to the 6X, the bezel seems larger. Is the screen of the 7X smaller than the screen of the 6X? Or is the 7X casing larger than the 6X casing? Or is it just an illusion?
I think it is an illusion. The metal bezel is actually smaller. The under-glass solar bezel area is larger - which is why the screws are moved. The display size is the same.
Great review, as always! Is it possible to enable touch screen only on map screen and keep touch function disabled for all the other menus/pages?
Ray already answered that question in the 'Complete User Interface Deep-Dive' - it's 'all or nothing' function, so you can either enable or disable touch screen for all the pages/screens for a given activity.
Hi.
Thank you for your excellent reviews.
My new Fenix 7 Saphire just stopped monitoring sleep, without me changing anything.
I tried all recommandations I could find though I was sure it won't help me. And of course it did not.
Just did a factory reset and waiting to take a nap :)
Do you have any other suggestions?
Thx
Love your review. Very informative.
Great review! I had the chance to hold one today!
Thank you. This is really useful. I wasn't even thinking about F7 but now.......tempted
Excellent in depth review. Really disappointed to see no ECG :(
Could you post the built-in watch faces of the Epix 2? Would love to see how they compare against the Fenix 7. Thanks!
Just for normal usage, does the gps accuracy seem better than the Fenix 6?
I am so frustrated with Garmin, I love my Fenix 6 Pro solar and Iâm willing to spend to get the 7 but they still havenât done the most obvious simple thing yet.
Iâve created several custom activities (kettlebell carry, box jumps, sled push, sandbag lunges, etc). I need to create daily custom WODâs from my activities library but cannot.
For example;
1000 meter run
200 meter kettlebell carry
1000 meter run
40 box jumps
1000 meter run
100 burpee broad jumps
1000 meter run
1000 meter SkiErg
I should be able to drag any activity into a custom workout (WOD)
There should be a AMOLED option also in the normal models.
I was really hoping we'd get a model with the eSIM so text messages or emergency notifications could be sent/received without needing a phone đ
Dude, I've got high expectations from your review. I mean no one is addressing the main problem, the elephant in the room so to speak> the price. I mean, when back in time the fenix 6 series appeared everyone was rolling eyes and thought 700 usd is too much. But now even that price was left behind and I'm afraid the fenix 7 is not so much better than the previous models.
Yeah, itâs funny, literally youâre the first person to mention the price in a comment. I get it, I think itâs crazy, but thatâs the price people are apparently eager to buy at, based on day 1 sales.
The button protector and the touch screen were the best things
Great review and really useful - just deciding of whether to upgrade from 6X Sapphire Pro to the new watch - you also mentioned at the end the other watch you have been using but I couldn't quite tell what make model you said - can you let me know and have you done a review on the other watch you seem to have worn as well as the Fenix 7.
thanks in advance
I'd like to see wireless charging capability to hopefully overcome the charging issues Garmin always has after long term usage
What charging issues? Iâve never experienced them, but Iâve only used FÄnix 5 and prior models.
Thank you DC Rainmaker for this very useful video! đ
Great video đ love ur content.. can you compare the fenix 7 and the descent mk2..
Thanks! I don't unfortunately have a MK2 at the moment, so a bit tricky for me. Sorry!
I still can't decide between the 7X and the Epix! I do multi-day walks with camping etc so the less hassle of the 7X battery would be great... but that Epix screen!
Random question, can you put the up ahead info as a data screen, ie next to like pace / time etc - even if it's just the next one upcoming? That would be really handy!
I struggled with the choice too but opted for the 7x. One concern I had about the Epix was it being activated to full brightness when I was doing things with no intention of looking at the watch. I would find that annoying, especially in lower light conditions. The workarounds would have meant changing the watch settings when going from darker to lighter, and vice versa, environments all the time and that is such a waste of time.
Great review. Heart rate in 7s looks have some issues.
Great review as always. Just one question - does the Saphire have whole world maps preloaded? Your graphic of map sizes seem to total more than 32GB? Thanks!
It's supposed to have the primary region pairs you're located in. So for example, it'll auto-load North America and Europe. But not North America, Europe, and South America.
Thanks for the video!
Do you think the future of change settings with your phone will come to the Fenix 6 with software updates?
Love all the unique flat-lay backgrounds in here. đ
Thanks!
Any idea how much space is left on a base (16GB) unit with Europe maps (11.6GB) once OS ,Ski (23MB?), Golf maps (200-500MB ?) then the MB/MiB conversion is taken into account? Seems unlikely you'll get much music on it. Would be nice to have Europe broken up into smaller chunks.
Yeah, I was trying to figure that out last night (I only have Sapphire units). I'll ask and stick it in the written review.
Well first of you are the man ! Thank you very much for this video! A quick question if you have time to read and answer :) I was thinking about the epix Gen 2 ! But is the 6 days always on display with workout for real ? if so that's a deal for me ! Keep going :)
Excellent video! Lots of great information.
Hi DC, some of these features are from the latest software update (and thus also available on the Fenix 6), correct? If so, it would be nice to note that in the future.
Thank you, I'll be getting the Fenix 6 Pro since the 7 hasn't changed enough!
I'm a Garmin 6s pro owner and I hate that after this video I want the 7s because of the solar -.-
Always well done DC!
Waiting for this video for years. Thank you Ray
Good review but a bit disappointed for the battery life compared to the Vertix2.
Hi Rain.. thanks for the detailed review.. amazing!!! i have only one query...Is the Fenix7 STANDARD will be great upgrade from Fenix 6 Pro Sapphire?
It's not a massive upgrade since you'd lack the multiband GPS and larger storage, but you would get things like Stamina. I'd consider it a modest upgrade.
I have been waiting for full LTE so that I can if needs be make and take calls whilst out. It seems that Garmin don't see this as a deal breaker but ...
There are many quirks and disappointments that I have suffered with my Fenix 6 Sapphire and also with Garmin Connect. I'm not prepared to throw large wads of money at a watch that doesn't fill that need of mine.
Until then I need to carry a separate phone until I find the optimum smart watch and fitness tracker out there. I don't want to go Apple but let's face it, their offer is very tempting.
Great video Ray, will the 6 be getting a software update?
Wohooo, thanks for the vid. Do you have any info about porting the features back to other watches than the F6? (I have an Enduro). I'm thinking about the widgets, Stamina, or (what mostly interests me) the waypoints and the phone-datafield setup (and sync across devices like in the case of Edges I presume) ?